In a change to Schäuble's summer proposal, the parliamentary budgetary commission agreed to €17.1 billion onto the state deficit next year, €1.7 billion less than originally planned.

The budget was passed with votes from the governing coalition parties, the Christian Democrat, CDU and Free Democrat FDP, early on Friday morning after a 13-hour debate.

CDU budget expert Norbert Barthle championed the lesser increase in borrowing as a "great success and important step on the way to a structurally balanced budget."

But opposition parties said it was a trick to boost the government's popularity ahead of next year's election.

"The new budgetary deficit in this election budget can only be financed with help of accounting tricks … which Finance Minister Schäuble would never accept in Greece," said Carsten Schneider, the SPD's budget expert.

For example, €800 million in proceeds from privatization measures actually accounted for in the 2012 budget would be rolled over to 2013, he said.

"€1.7 billion less of new debts are a joke considering high tax incomes and low interest rates. There were no signs of structural savings," said Schneider.

Germany has hosted more than 300,000 asylum seekers since the start of the year, said the daily Die Welt on Saturday, nearly 50,000 more than first thought, as Berlin prepares for a record influx of refugees in 2015.
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Update: Federal prosecutors announced on Friday they are suspending investigations of treason against 'digital rights' website Netzpolitik for 'the greater good' of upholding freedom of the press.
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Why waste time jumping through the hoops of German bureaucracy when you can pay someone else to take the hassle off your hands? A new Berlin company is offering to do just that - and it's got city officials fuming in the process.
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